Basil Rathbone. Jeremy Brett. Robert Downey, Jr. These are some of the names you might associate when it comes to television or film adaptions of Sherlock Holmes. As the record-holder for most adaptions as a fictional character, every Sherlockian knows that the Baker Street Detective did not only join his friend and colleague Dr. Watson in live-action, he also had several animated adaptions of Holmes. Some are beloved while others have become all, but forgotten. Here are my Top 5 Best Animated Sherlock Holmes Adaptions:

05. BraveStarr: “Sherlock Holmes in the 23rd Century”

From a 1988 episode of BraveStarr, Marshall BraveStarr protects the frontier planet of New Texas, but when Professor Moriarty comes from the past to cause trouble, Sherlock Holmes is summoned through a time warp to help stop his former nemesis. Pat Fraley, best known as Krang from the 1980s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, voices the Great Detective as well as the show’s protagonist.

04. The Baskerville Curse

Peter O’Toole, yes of Lawrence of Arabia, voices Sherlock in this 1983 Australian adaption of The Hound of the Baskervilles. This one has become somewhat of a cult classic to some fans of animated films.

03. Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century

This 1999 series saw a descendant of Scotland Yard Inspector Lestrade use “cellular regeneration” to revive the Great Detective, voiced by Jason Gray-Stanford, to stop a clone of Professor Moriarty. Armed with a robotic Dr. Watson, he and Lestrade solve cyberpunk mysteries deep into the future.

02. Sherlock Hound

Before Hayao Miyazaki was developing masterpieces like Porco Rosso for Studio Ghibli, he designed Sherlock Hound. The 1984 anime saw the detective along with Dr. Watson and Mrs. Hudson stopping the dastardly plots of Professor Moriarty. All of the characters are anthro-dogs who live in a steampunk world. Taichirō Hirokawa voices Sherlock in Japan while Larry Moss voices him in the English dub.

01. The Great Mouse Detective

This 1986 Disney film saw Holmes being represented as Basil of Baker Street, who is trying to stop Professor Ratigan from kidnapping the Queen. Basil is voiced by Barrie Ingham, though archival audio of Basil Rathbone can be heard in one scene voicing the actual Sherlock Holmes.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, movie, or novel you would like me to review. While you are at it, check out my articles Batman Film ‘The Dark Knight’ Is Officially Added To The National Film Registry and DC Film Exec Says WB Will Juggle Two Batman Franchises. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more posts like this one.

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